F1 News: Mercedes Shows George Russell Bias After Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari Shift In 2025
As Mercedes looks beyond 2025 without Lewis Hamilton in its future plans, it gradually elevates George Russell as its new centerpiece. However, this transition seems to indicate a slight bias towards the 25-year-old, notably evident on their social media platforms.
Mercedes is betting on Russell's potential, evident in his seat allocation and his emerging role as the team's new leader. He boasts exceptional talent, ensuring a promising future in Formula 1. Since the inception of the ground effect era in 2022, Russell has been the only Mercedes driver to have won a Grand Prix until today.
However, Hamilton's departure entails more than just the legacy of a seven-time world champion. Over 11 years, Mercedes and Hamilton have become inseparable entities. The British driver was not only a formidable talent but also a brand in his own right, which will go to Ferrari after his switch next year.
Replacing Hamilton in the team will undoubtedly be a formidable challenge for Mercedes. It is doubtful that the team will ever get to match the fervent fan base and commercial value he brought. To get an idea of his crowd-pulling abilities, here's a figure that Ferrari gained in just one day. On the day of Ferrari's announcement, the Italian team's Instagram page gained 232,021 followers, hugely surpassing its monthly average of 220,916.
Following Hamilton's announcement of joining Ferrari, the Italian automaker's stock price surged by 10%, amounting to a staggering $6 billion increase. The association with the Hamilton brand has proven to yield immense benefits, a privilege enjoyed by Mercedes for the past 11 years, now transferred to Ferrari.
Maybe for the same reason, Mercedes has gradually begun distancing Hamilton on social media, highlighting Russell more frequently. Notice the trend before Hamilton's announcement and it can be observed that the Brackley outfit left no stone unturned in leveraging the seven-time-world champions's goodwill.
While Mercedes favored Hamilton in 2023, now banking on Russell's future, the dynamics may shift. However, if Hamilton outperforms Russell in 2024, the team might support him in a championship fight. At the end of the day, Mercedes would bank on the winning driver.
